


Wash It Away

by SingManyFaces



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alien Biology, F/M, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-31 00:54:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17839322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SingManyFaces/pseuds/SingManyFaces
Summary: After returning from her ordeal on the Trandoshan moon Ahsoka crashes hard, and Anakin gives her some help.  A partial prequel to Forgive Me My Weakness.





	Wash It Away

**Author's Note:**

> This fic can stand on its own, or can be read as happening earlier in the night to chapter four of Forgive Me My Weakness. Also largely inspired by the idea of applying “hair kink/grooming” to Ahsoka.

His metal fingers rapped quietly at the ‘fresher door; a half hour might not be that long in the bath for some, but Ahsoka usually took half that and the quiet was making him nervous.  When it was all that answered him he eased the door open.  “Ahsoka?”

 

The small room was humid from the heat of the water, and a quick glance at the tub told him that said water was nearly as high as its rim.  Also that his padawan had fallen asleep in it.  “Ah, Snips…”

 

She had slumped over, head pillowed on her shoulder, as her arm hung over the side of the tub; Anakin recognized the small brush she used on her montrals dangling from her limp fingers.  He rolled up the sleeves of his thin tunic before gently claiming it, reaching out along their bond to wake her as mildly as possible.  A sharp inhale through her nose and then she was blinking wide, unfocused eyes up at him, “Anakin?”

 

“It’s me,” he nodded, mouth curving into a small smile as he dipped his fingers into the still-warm water, flicking a few droplets at her, “Looks like you went out before you finished.”  He gave a little wave with the brush.

 

“I don’t even remember closing my eyes.”  The blue of her lekku flushed darkly, embarrassed, as she drew her arm back into the tub.  “It just felt so good, to finally…”  Rather than finish the thought she cupped her hands to bring water to her face, scrubbing it over her cheeks before offering him a half-smile.  “Guess I got a little too relaxed.”

 

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with that,” he told her; then, with a playful tilt of his head, “Every once in a while.”  She gave a quiet laugh and he was glad for the sound of it as he pressed the soft bristles of her brush to one of her montrals.

 

“Oh,” belatedly trying to snatch it back, “I can—”

 

“Snips.”  He caught her hand easily, laying it on a nearby washcloth instead.  “Let me do this for you,” Anakin began scrubbing carefully at the still-caked layer of dirt, following the curve of her montral, “I can get a better angle anyway.”

 

Her head dipped, just once, under his careful attention, her eyelashes fluttering.  “Okay.”  She took a deep breath, released it as she rubbed the washcloth over her face to scrub more deeply, “At least the water didn’t go cold on me, I guess.”  

 

“That’s the spirit.”

 

His motions were thorough as he gradually worked at the remaining grime.  Claiming another washcloth, he dipped it into the water before rubbing at the areas he’d already seen to with the brush, clearing away the loosened dirt; gently he ran the cloth from the tip of her montral to the end of her lek, taking her relaxed sigh as a sign that he was doing well.  He was half way up the second montral before he realized she’d stopped moving again.  Trying not to laugh, Anakin laid a hand on her shoulder, giving her the slightest shake, “Ahsoka?”

 

A soft gasp, and she straightened her back.  “Sorry,” she blinked slowly, almost disjointedly, her small smile self-deprecating, “It felt so nice, I must’ve nodded off again.” 

 

Anakin allowed himself a chuckle at the admission.  “Try to hang on for a few more minutes, then we’ll get you into your actual bed.”  Tapping the brush lightly on the valley between her montrals, “Your neck will thank you in the morning.”    

 

“Yes—” a jaw-cracking yawn, “Master.”

 

“Alright.”  He worked more quickly than before, finishing off his self-appointed task before she could fall asleep again.  Laying aside the brush he slung his arm around her back, the water sloshing in the tub as he helped her to stand; modesty was short-lived on the battlefield and whatever awkwardness they might have felt with each other’s nudity had worn away long ago. 

 

No, the only thing that gave Anakin pause as she allowed him to towel her off was how she’d obviously lost weight during her ordeal—and it wasn’t as though she’d started with a lot to spare.  More than ever he was glad for the short leave they’d been granted; he’d prefer they get her back up to fighting weight _before_ returning to the front lines.  Casting away the towel he began wrapping her into her old sleep robe, the motions made clumsier as she began to droop again.  At last he got the garment belted around her, sighing as she swayed on her feet.

 

Well, there was only one thing for that.

 

Stooping quickly, he caught her behind her knees and raised her into his arms.  Half-roused by the motion she braced a hand on his chest and tried to push away, her voice a mix of amusement and exasperation, “Master—I can walk on my own!”

 

But his arms were firm, holding her closely to him.  “You sure about that, Snips?”  His tone was light, teasing…but that sentiment didn’t quite reach his eyes.  Ahsoka hadn’t shared many details of the ordeal with him yet, and he wouldn’t push for them so soon; the truth was that Anakin didn’t _really_ need specifics.  Long hours spent casting his senses into the Force, searching for her, hadn’t yielded her precise location but what she’d been feeling had rung clear as a bell.  The anger, adrenaline—the _fear_.  It was no wonder she was crashing so hard, now that she was back within the steadfast walls of the Temple.  And though he felt a swell of pride that she had risen above it all to keep, not only herself, but others safe as well…

 

Just because she _could_ do it, didn’t mean he thought she should have to, at least not that way.

 

Voice soft, he asked again, “Let me do this for you?” 

 

Maybe she caught the thread of his thoughts, maybe the exhaustion had won out, but she sagged in his hold then, wilting against his chest as she slid her arm around his neck.  Absently nuzzling at his cheek, “Alright.” 

 

In moments she was settled in her bed, under the covers but sitting up, while Anakin retrieved the vitamin oil she conditioned her montrals with from her bedside table.  As he sat behind her he poured some of the oil onto a soft cloth before working it into the peak of one montral.  The massaging motion drew a low, pleased hum from her, then a breathy laugh.  “You might put me to sleep again.” 

 

He chuckled, only stopping for a moment to add more oil to the cloth.  “I don’t mind now that you’re in your bed.” 

 

“Fair point.” 

 

Thorough as he had been with the brush earlier, he took care not to miss a spot with the cloth, leaving a muted shine in his wake.  Once he’d finished with her montrals he moved on to her lekku, stilled at the full length twitch of the one in his hands, her soft, startled gasp.  “Sorry,” he murmured, “Too hard?”

 

“No. Just—” The lek he held twitched again and she inhaled slowly; he felt the appendage relax as she exhaled.  “Just took me by surprise.  It feels a little different when someone else does it.” 

 

A quiet note of embarrassment shivered into the Force between them, and he felt his face heat.  Maybe it was the greater contact now—he hadn’t lingered earlier in the bath.  “Should I stop?”

 

Another low hum.  “No, go on.”  Offering him a small smile over her shoulder, “I know it’s coming now.”         

 

“If you’re sure.”  She nodded and he began again, gently massaging the cloth into her lek, letting the quiet sounds she made guide his pressure; a hiss made him ease off, a sigh told him he was just right.  By the time he’d finished Ahsoka was radiating warm contentment into the Force, the last coils of tension leaving her signature.  Once again he ran callused fingers from the point of one montral to the end of her lek, taking in the change as slightly rough firmness gave way to smooth, leathery skin; the motion shifted easily into an embrace and he tucked his face between her montrals, holding her as tightly as he’d wanted to on the landing pad.  Nestled where he was, his voice was little more than a whisper, “I’m so glad you’re home.”

 

She took a shuddering breath but, if anything, her contentedness only shone brighter between them as she folded her arms over his.  “So am I.”  For a few long moments she sank back into the security of his embrace, the warmth it offered.  It was so easy to allow herself to be lulled by that warmth, the familiar scents of soap and faint metal…blinking rapidly, she tapped at his forearm.  “Come on,” she yawned regretfully, “Better leave now before I make you one of my pillows.”

 

Anakin chuckled, giving her one last squeeze before sliding off the bed.  “Alright, alright…”  Halfway through the door, he hung back, reminding, “I’m nearby if you need anything.” 

 

She rolled her eyes, yawning again as she waved him off, and snuggled down into her pillow. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
